The Vanity of Pleasure
1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.
Nikauambia moyo wangu, Haya, nitakujaribu kwa njia ya furaha basi ujifurahishe kwa anasa. Na tazama, hayo nayo yakawa ubatili.
2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
Nikasema juu ya kicheko, Ni wazimu; na juu ya furaha, Yafaa nini?
3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
Moyoni mwangu nikapeleleza jinsi ya kuuburudisha mwili kwa mvinyo, na (moyo wangu ukali ukiniongoza kwa hekima) jinsi ya kushikana na upumbavu, hata niyaone yaliyo mema ya kuwafaa wanadamu, ili wayafanye hayo chini ya mbingu siku zote za maisha yao.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:
Nikajifanyizia kazi zilizo kubwa; nikajijengea nyumba; nikajipandia mashamba ya mizabibu;
5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:
nikajifanyizia bustani na viunga, na kuipanda humo miti yenye matunda ya kila namna;
6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:
nikajifanyizia birika za maji, ya kuunyweshea mwitu mlimopandwa miti michanga.
7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:
Nami nikanunua watumwa na wajakazi, nikawa na wazalia nyumbani mwangu; tena nikawa na mali nyingi za ng'ombe na kondoo, kupita wote walionitangulia katika Yerusalemu;
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
tena nikajikusanyia fedha na dhahabu, na tunu za kifalme na za kutoka katika majimbo. Nikajipatia waimbaji, waume kwa wake, nao wale ambao wanadamu wanawatunuka, masuria wengi sana.
9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
Basi nikawa mkuu, nikaongezeka kupita wote walionitangulia katika Yerusalemu; pia hekima yangu nikakaa nayo.
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
Wala sikuyanyima macho yangu cho chote yalichokitamani; wala sikuuzuia moyo wangu katika furaha yo yote; maana moyo wangu ulifurahi kwa sababu ya kazi yangu yote, na hii ilikuwa sehemu yangu katika kazi yangu yote.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
Kisha nikaziangalia kazi zote zilizofanywa kwa mikono yangu, na taabu yote niliyotaabika katika kuzitenda; na tazama, yote ni ubatili na kujilisha upepo, wala faida hakuna chini ya jua.
12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath been already done.
Nikageuka ili kuipambanua hekima, na wazimu na upumbavu. Kwa maana mtu amfuataye mfalme afanye nini? Lilo hilo tu lililokwisha kufanywa.
13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
Ndipo nilipoona ya kuwa kweli hekima hupita upumbavu, kwa kadiri nuru ipitavyo giza;
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.
macho yake mwenye hekima yamo kichwani mwake, lakini mpumbavu huenda gizani; ila hata hivyo nikatambua ya kwamba ni tukio moja la mwisho liwapatalo wote sawasawa.
15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity.
Nikasema moyoni mwangu, Kama limpatavyo mpumbavu, ndivyo litakavyonipata mimi nami; basi, kwa nini nikawa na hekima zaidi? Nikasema moyoni mwangu ya kuwa hayo nayo ni ubatili.
16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
Maana hakuna kumbukumbu la milele la mwenye hekima, wala la mpumbavu; kwa sababu siku zijazo wote pia watakuwa wamekwisha kusahauliwa. Na mwenye hekima, jinsi gani anavyokufa sawasawa na mpumbavu!
17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Basi, nikauchukia uhai; kwa sababu kazi inayotendeka chini ya jua ilikuwa mbaya kwangu; yaani, mambo yote ni ubatili na kujilisha upepo.
The Vanity of Work and Riches
18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
Nami nikaichukia kazi yangu yote niliyojishughulisha nayo chini ya jua; maana sina budi kumwachia yeye atakayenifuata.
19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.
Naye ni nani ajuaye kama huyo atakuwa mwenye hekima au mpumbavu? Hata hivyo atatawala juu ya kazi yangu yote niliyojishughulisha nayo, ambamo ndani yake mimi nimeonyesha hekima chini ya jua. Hayo nayo ni ubatili.
20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.
Kwa hiyo nikageuka kukata tamaa moyoni mwangu juu ya kazi yangu yote niliyojishughulisha nayo chini ya jua.
21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
Maana kuna mtu ambaye kazi yake ni kwa hekima, na kwa maarifa, na kwa ustadi; naye atamwachia mtu asiyeshughulika nayo kuwa sehemu yake. Hayo tena ni ubatili, nayo ni baa kuu.
22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?
Kwa maana mtu hupata nini kwa kazi yake yote, na kwa juhudi ya moyo wake alivyojitahidi chini ya jua?
23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
Kwa kuwa siku zake zote ni masikitiko, na kazi yake ni huzuni; naam, hata usiku moyoni mwake hamna raha. Hayo nayo ni ubatili.
24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.
Mwanadamu hapati jema kupita kula na kunywa, na kuiburudisha roho yake kwa mema katika kazi yake. Hayo nayo naliona ya kwamba hutoka mkononi mwa Mungu.
25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto , more than I?
Kwa maana ni nani awezaye kula au kujiburudisha kuliko mimi?
26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Kwa sababu Mungu humpa yeye aliyemridhia hekima na maarifa na furaha; bali mkosaji humpa taabu, ili kukusanya na kututa, apate kumpa huyo ambaye Mungu amridhia. Hayo nayo ni ubatili na kujilisha upepo.
